Press Releases
Scott, Omar Slam DOL Rule Robbing Workers of Fair Wages and Workplace Protections
04.28.26 WASHINGTON - Today, House Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) and Subcommittee on Workforce Protections Ranking Member Ilhan Omar (MN-05) slammed the Department of Labor’s (DOL) proposed rule to allow unscrupulous employers to misclassify their workers as independent contractors, robbing workers of their wage and hour and other work protections. The Members argued that by loosening restrictions allowing employers to misclassify their employees as ind… Continue Reading
ECESE Ranking Member Bonamici Opening Remarks at Hearing on Equity and Excellence in Education
04.28.26 WASHINGTON - Early Childhood and Secondary Education (ECESE) Ranking Member Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01) delivered the following opening statement at today’s ECESE Subcommittee hearing entitled, “Leveling Down: How Equity Policies Undermine Excellence and Harm Students.” “Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you to the witnesses for your testimony. I’ll start by saying that Gifted and Talented programs, Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), and dual-enrollment courses do offer ex… Continue Reading
Rep. Norcross Files Discharge Petition for Bipartisan Bill to Speed Up First Contracts for New Unions
04.24.26 WASHINGTON, DC—Today, Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-01) announced that he has filed a discharge petition for the Faster Labor Contracts Act. The bill will speed up the process of finalizing a first contract between a newly certified union and the employer. “The right of workers to form a union and collectively bargain is crucial to improving wages, hours, working conditions, and so much more. I know because I’ve lived it,” said Congressman Donald Norcross, Co-Founder and Co-Chair of the Congr… Continue Reading
Scott to Labor Department: Finish Investigation into Chavez-DeRemer and ‘Preserve All Documents’
04.23.26 WASHINGTON - Following the resignation of former Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, pressed the Department of Labor’s (DOL) Inspector General to complete the investigation into the former DOL Secretary and keep Congress fully informed about any problems and abuses at DOL that have policy implications. Additionally, he reminded the DOL Acting Secretary to ensure that all records are preserved and not … Continue Reading
HELP Ranking Member DeSaulnier Opening Remarks at Hearing on Lowering Drug Prices
04.22.26 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10) delivered the following opening statement at today’s Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee hearing entitled, “Profits Over Patients: The PBM Business Model Under Scrutiny.” “Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to thank all the witnesses for being here. “This is something I think we can all agree on. This is inefficiency. When Americans are struggling day-to-day to pay for their fixed costs, so they have a little extra money to take… Continue Reading
Committee Republicans Vote to Dismantle the Education Department
04.21.26 WASHINGTON - Today, Committee Republicans forced through H.R. 8210, a partisan version of A Stronger Workforce for America Act. The original, bipartisan and bicameral bill, introduced in the 118th Congress, was the result of months of bipartisan work and nearly became law until it was publicly misrepresented by Elon Musk and pulled from the end-of-year spending package. Instead of continuing this bipartisan work, Committee Republicans advanced a partisan version of the legislation that would c… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Slams Republicans for Abandoning Bipartisan Workforce Bill Agreement
04.21.26 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) delivered the following opening statement at today’s full committee markup of H.R. 8210. “Thank you, Mr. Chairman. “Mr. Chairman, you just mentioned the bipartisan bicameral agreement from last year. “Last Congress, former Chair Virginia Foxx and I worked very hard to find common ground and to negotiate a bipartisan reauthorization of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). That bill was reported from this committee on a… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Opening Remarks HHS Budget Hearing
04.17.26 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03) delivered the following opening statement at today’s full committee hearing entitled, “Examining the Policies and Priorities of the Department of Health and Human Services.” “Thank you, Chairman Walberg. And thank you, Secretary Kennedy, for your testimony today. Your appearance before this Committee has been a long time coming. “Mr. Secretary, you lead an agency that has immense responsibility to both enhance and protect Americans’ w… Continue Reading
HELP Ranking Member DeSaulnier Opening Remarks EBSA Budget Hearing
04.16.26 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10) delivered the following opening statement at today’s Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee hearing entitled, “Examining the Policies and Priorities of the Employee Benefits Security Administration.” “Thank you, Mr. Chairman. “I also want to welcome the Assistant Secretary. This is your first time testifying before our Subcommittee since you were confirmed. So, welcome. “The Department of Labor’s Employee Benefits Security Admi… Continue Reading
Democratic Health Leaders Urge EBSA to Go Further to Increase Transparency for Health Care Middlemen
04.15.26 WASHINGTON - Today, Democratic House health leaders urged the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) to further strengthen its proposed rule regarding pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs). PBMs are middlemen who manage prescription drug benefits on behalf of health plans. The proposed rule partially implements longstanding recommendations of Committee Democrats to require middlemen disclose their direct and indirect compensation. The letter was sent by Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Sco… Continue Reading
Workforce Protections Ranking Member Omar Opening Remarks at 7th Hearing on AI’s Impact on Workers’ Rights
04.15.26 WASHINGTON - Workforce Protections Subcommittee Ranking Member Ilhan Omar (MN-05) delivered the following opening statement at today’s subcommittee hearing entitled, “Building an AI-Ready America: Understanding AI’s Economic Impact on Workers and Employers.” “Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you to the witnesses for joining us today. “Today marks the seventh hearing this Committee has held on artificial intelligence (AI) this Congress. “To put things into perspective, here is a list of issu… Continue Reading
Labor Leaders Request DOL Inspector General Investigate Chavez DeRemer for Not Complying with ERISA
04.14.26 WASHINGTON - Today, House labor leaders requested the Department of Labor’s (DOL) Inspector General (IG) to investigate DOL Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer for failing to comply with certain requirements of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). Specifically, the Members are asking the IG to investigate the Secretary’s compliance with the legal requirements surrounding the Advisory Council on Employee Welfare and Pension Benefits (ERISA Advisory Council). The request was sen… Continue Reading
Democratic Health Leaders Demand Answers on Trump’s Shady Drug Deals
04.13.26 WASHINGTON - Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (D-VA), Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Richard E. Neal (D-MA), Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), and Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR), demanded transparency from major pharmaceutical companies on their announcements with the Trump Administration on the cost of certain medications, including anti-obesity medications. Democrats delivered on l… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Pushes ED to Protect Students in Workforce Pell Expansion
04.09.26 WASHINGTON - House Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott urged Secretary of the Department of Education Linda McMahon to strengthen oversight and accountability in response to the Department of Education’s (ED) proposed Workforce Pell Grant rule, which implements the newly authorized expansion of Federal Pell Grants to students enrolled in certain short-term certificate programs. Ranking Member Scott emphasized that expanding Pell Grants to short-term programs… Continue Reading
NEW: Report on How the Health Care Industry Stacks the Deck Against Working Families
04.08.26 WASHINGTON — Today, Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, released a new report titled “Denied: How the Health Care Industry Stacks the Deck Against Working Families.” The report examines the growing problem of wrongful health claim denials and the consequences for workers and their families. As health care costs rise, every wrongful claim denial places a greater burden on workers and their families who are already struggling to get by. “He… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Statement on President Trump’s FY27 Budget
04.03.26 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, issued the following statement on issues related to the Committee’s jurisdiction after the White House released President Trump’s proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2027. “Once again, President Trump’s budget demonstrates how his Administration favors the wealthy over working families. This proposal would raise the cost of living, undermine our institutions, and threaten the future of public e… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Statement on March Jobs Report
04.03.26 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, released the following statement after the Bureau of Labor Statistics announced that the economy gained 178,000 jobs in March, and the unemployment rate ticked down from 4.4 percent to 4.3 percent. “Families across the country are being squeezed by rising prices for groceries, housing, health care, energy costs, and gas prices— increases that can all be attributed to policy choices by this A… Continue Reading
Ranking Member Scott Criticizes Latest DOL Plan to Threaten Americans’ Retirement Savings
03.30.26 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, released the following statement after the Department of Labor (DOL) proposed a new rule establishing a safe harbor for 401(k) plans to offer so-called alternative assets, such as private equity and cryptocurrency, to workers. “Today, the Department of Labor proposed a new rule to create a safe harbor for 401(k) plans to invest in so-called ‘alternative assets,’ such as private equity or cry… Continue Reading
Scott, Courtney, DeSaulnier Urge Labor Department to Improve Transparency from Health Plan Service Providers
03.27.26 WASHINGTON - House Education and Workforce Committee Ranking Member Robert C. 'Bobby' Scott (VA-03), Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions Subcommittee Ranking Member Mark DeSaulnier (CA-10), and Rep. Joe Courtney (CT-02) urged Assistant Secretary Daniel Aronowitz of the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) to take action to ensure that group health plan service providers, such as pharmacy benefit managers and third-party administrators, disclose both direct and indirect compensati… Continue Reading
Scott Statement on ED Leaving LBJ Headquarters After 40 Years
03.26.26 WASHINGTON - Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and Workforce, released the following statement after the Department of Education (ED) announced that the Trump Administration will turn ED's Lyndon B. Johnson headquarters building over to the Department of Energy. “This is one of the most overt actions by Secretary McMahon to dismantle the Department of Education (ED) and disregard the law, federal courts, and Congress. The Trump Administration cannot un… Continue Reading